Catch the EKU Colonels in Richmond When the Cats are on the Road

EKU Football head coach Walt Wells was on Kentucky Sports Radio on Wednesday. Coach Wells gave Matt and Ryan an update on his team and previewed Saturday’s spring game which will take place at Roy Kidd Stadium this Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

EKU Three-Game Ticket Special on Weekends UK is Out of Town

EKU is hosting three home games on the same weekends that Kentucky is on the road. You can buy tickets for all three home games for the low price of $50. Tailgating is expected and welcomed around the friendly confines of Roy Kidd Stadium. 

Matchups in this special ticket offer include home games against SEMO on September 23. The Wildcats will be in Nashville to take on Vanderbilt in the Music City on that weekend. November 4 is the next game in this series when the Colonels host Austin Peay. Kentucky will be at Mississippi State. The final game comes against Stephen F. Austin on November 18 when the Wildcats are at South Carolina. 

• September 23: EKU vs. SEMO (Kentucky at Vandy)
• November 4: EKU vs. Austin Peay (Kentucky at Mississippi State)
• November 18: EKU vs. Stephen F. Austin (Kentucky at South Carolina) 

To take advantage of the special, contact the EKU Ticket Office at (859) 622-2122, via email [email protected], or online at ETix.com.

Cats vs. Colonels on September 9

Kentucky hosts Eastern Kentucky on September 9. This follows the Wildcats’ opening game against Ball State. EKU goes on the road to take on Cincinnati in Week One prior to making the short trip north on I-75 to play against the Cats. Kentucky will be a significant favorite in this contest. But, a short trip down memory lane reminds me of the time that the Colonels took Kentucky to overtime before falling 34-27 in a thriller in 2015. 

I was on the call with Tom Leach in the booth during that game. Lots of drama in the matchup. That evening was supposed to be a feel-good night of football against our friends to the south but turned into a nail-biting affair. Kentucky was actually lucky to win that one. 

2017 was the last time these two teams faced off. Kentucky won the contest 27-16, but the final score didn’t reflect the game’s closeness. The Colonels actually jumped out to a 13-10 halftime lead before being outscored 17-3 in the second half. Again, way too close for the Big Blue faithful. 

Sign up for the KSR Newsletter to get breaking news and daily headlines delivered directly to your inbox.

Good Choice for a Second Team 

EKU is a good choice for the Big Blue Nation’s second team. We can support both. EKU’s campus is just 20 miles from Lexington. Walt Wells was formerly on Mark Stoops’ staff and remains close to the Wildcats’ head coach and program. He overcame a serious and extremely scary health condition last season to lead his team to a 7-5 record. 

The Colonels also earned a spot in the FCS Playoffs. His team stepped up a class to beat Bowling Green 59-57 in seven overtimes early in the regular season. The Colonels went on to fall to Gardner Webb in the first round of the playoffs 52-41. 

The Legend, Roy Kidd 

Roy Kidd Stadium is named after the legendary EKU head coach Roy Kidd. Coach Kidd, a Corbin native, held a remarkable 314-124-8 record while in Richmond. His teams won two national championships in 1979 and 1982 while finishing runners-up in 1980 and 1981.

There was a time in our state’s history when recruiting battles occurred between EKU, Louisville, and Kentucky. Coach Kidd made saying “no” to EKU extremely difficult when recruiting against the in-state Division 1 programs. That’s the truth from first-hand experience. Kidd is beloved in the coaching industry and made a colossal impact in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Respect. 

What Does All This Mean? 

Three games for fifty bucks, while the Cats are out of town, is a great opportunity to watch fun football right here in our backyard. There are several players from the state of Kentucky that play for EKU. Matter of fact, eight of the twelve players that signed in last year’s class are from the Commonwealth. And, if this matters to you, beer and wine sales are available at the stadium. 

Go Colonels!!! Except on September 9.